Ties
by fanofthisfiction
Summary: Ties are the inseparable bonds that keep the memories of precious ones, close to heart. A Tenten/Neji good-bye piece.


Disclaimer: Naruto and it's characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

For Tenten's birthday: March 9th

* * *

She was a fierce Konoha kunoichi, one who possessed a mesmerizing weapons grace envied by many. Although renown for her target precision, her tactical prowess was equally noteworthy. The enemy could always believe they were avoiding her attacks, only to discover they were intentionally lured into a trap of her choosing.

Years of being surrounded by her teammates helped her to school in her emotions, if not just to escape chiding from being too emotional from one, and bringing forth the exuberance of youth by the other. She rarely if ever complained, and held strict focus on the task at hand, never once doubting that her teammates had her back or vice versa. Team Guy seemed invincible at times, and secretly maybe they were guilty of dismissing the fact, that in reality, they were merely mortal.

Neji Hyūga, the prodigy of their team, was a proud and dangerous ninja. Prompt promotion to top level Jōnin status was well deserved and recognized by all their peers as just. Growing up in the Branch division of the greater Hyūga Clan did not hinder his will to move forward, out of the locked cage he was meant to endure, but onto greater and better things. The aloof attitude he seemed to possess was to protect all that was softer inside. His worries and insecurities were meticulously hidden behind the strong sense of self he always projected. It was only on very rare occasion he would let his guard down, and only with his beloved teammates, Tenten and Lee, or his cousins, Hinata and Hanabi.

* * *

Clutching onto memories of him, she let the tears fall. Crying was a rarity, but death of beloved ones was never an easy thing for her to take. It had been awhile, but she could still clearly remember the unstoppable tears at the funeral of her parents and siblings in that rare accident that took all of their lives simultaneously and suddenly left her alone in this world. Choking back a muffled cry, she recalled when she shared memories of that deep sadness with Neji on the night of his defeat against Naruto. He in turn shared his insecurities and the deeper sense of having to prove himself worthy of any title. The intense conversation was almost religious and incredibly enlightening. She didn't think she would ever see him the same way again. If she sat still long enough, she could remember the way they hugged and how good it felt to have his warm arms wrapped tenderly around her. He was a steadfast friend, willing to be there in spirit when she was down. They had assured one another all was going in a good direction and it would be all right.

Now it all seemed too much to comprehend. She had heard the stories of Kakashi Sensei's daily pilgrimage to honor his teammates at the Memorial Stone. She could understand and sympathize with it, but today was the first day she allowed herself to face her own loss. Deep down it cut a vital cord that clung to the secure notion that she, Neji, and Lee were a team, an inseparable team. They were individuals but acted as one. They would fight to the end, protect, and honor each other. They had grown up together from childhood, suffered through their first defeat together, and had been one another's support group when all else failed. They often knew each other's thoughts, battle plans, and intended actions before they were actually spoken. She couldn't help but wonder, what would happen now? How could their precious team go on without Neji? Or rather, how would she go on without him? She knew Lee had already been able to mourn when she wasn't quite ready to grasp the situation. As a result, he was able to move on, and his bright and sunny ways and ability to see the positive in life just weren't comprehensible to her at this moment. All she could do was run her fingers over his name on the cold marble slab.

Suddenly her sharp ninja skills crept in to alert her that others were approaching. Familiar chakra did not have her on defense but rather relaxed her into wiping stray tears away to prepare for the encounter. She could not mask the fact that she was crying but didn't worry all the same. They were probably here for the same reason. Secretly though, she hoped they could help divert the pain. Deep within her own sadness, she was ready for someone to help pick up the pieces.

Hanabi spoke first. "Tenten? It's us."

"Is it okay to be here now?" Hinata asked, somewhat uncertain.

Silence enveloped them, but slowly she nodded and the two kunoichi approached. It was in that moment, she let her emotions sweep her away. Once the tears started to fall, she could not stop them. It was like a flimsy dam had suddenly burst without warning. They encircled her in a group hug and she could feel the prickles of wetness from their own tears of concern and sadness, as her world suddenly became empty and void of happiness.

"You haven't been by," Hinata stated.

She of course meant she hadn't been by since the funeral. She was a regular at the Hyūga estate, certainly before the war and most certainly right after, having insisted on helping with the arrangements of his burial and giving the eulogy.

"Sorry."

"It's okay," she assured. "I know you miss him. I do too, and I understand you needing time for yourself." She took time to absorb those words and what they meant. She knew of anyone, Hinata was probably the one to be most paralyzed by his death. She had lost a cousin, a protector, a stand-in brother if you will. Her life practically revolved around what Neji was doing, and her punishments, accomplishments, and status in the past had depended deeply upon his every move.

"He loved you, you know," Hinata said.

She curled upon herself and wept onto the shoulders of her friends. To let her guard down would have been unthinkable just a few weeks prior when loss was just an idea and a side effect of their profession.

"Tenten?" Hinata quietly preceded on, "I want you to have this." Out of her pocket she presented a crisp white envelope and rested it gently into her palm. "I know it's what he would have wanted."

One black hair tie unfurled itself when she emptied the envelope. To an untrained observer, it was just a simple a hair tie, a rubber band to hold hair. As she rolled it in her palm, she carefully curled her fingers around it protectively and closed her eyes for a moment to feel the caress of the gentle Konoha winter breeze ruffle her bangs. It was a day very similar to this one, not so long ago, when he was alive and well.

* * *

She allowed herself to drift back. That day was special. Dinner with the Daimyo was all he had talked about the week prior. The mindless mission that left them dirtied and tired only served to grate on his nerves. To be late would be unacceptable. She and Lee had no choice but to stop by Hyūga headquarters to shower and prepare for the dinner. Who could have known a simple mission could leave muddied surprises over nearly every part of her body? His Uncle insisted she and Lee wear appropriate attire and he took the liberty of selecting their outfits and having every last detail at the ready. She could understand the need to do this for Lee, but was it really necessary for her to wear a kimono of his choosing? Resistance from her would only end up hurting Neji however, so she went along, showering and preparing to be dressed. When she got out of the shower, she realized she left her hair ties in the other room. An inquisitive look into the bathroom drawer lead her to find two. She quickly decided to "borrow" one and used it to twist her hair into a long ponytail, then created a quick, messy bun.

Fifteen minutes later, when Neji came to shower and she was getting ready with the helpers in the spare room, she heard him shuffling around, apparently desperately looking for something. Muffled voices let her know he had run into Hinata and had a word with her, but it didn't sound like she was of help to him.

A quick rap at the door stirred her out of her thoughts. "Tenten, may I come in?"

Ties were being done on the obi and she was nearly dressed.

"Sure."

"Do you happen to know where the other black hair tie in the bathroom went?" His tone was stern and hurried. He wasn't happy.

"Uh…yes?"

Suddenly he perked up and full focus was on her. "Where?" It came out sort of rushed, with intensity stressed in the question.

The servants stopped dressing her. "Uh..." She wasn't sure if mentioning she had borrowed it would be taken well, now after seeing him, but she was boxed in. There was nothing to say but the truth. "In my hair."

"Wait. ...What?" Confusion marred his features. That incredulous look was usually reserved for Lee in Neji's younger days when Lee's springtime youthfulness got to be too much and he would be near his breaking point.

"Sorry?" It was meant as an apology but came out more like a question. Her hair was still wet. She had to contain it in a messy bun with the use of the tie so she could quickly get dressed. Was that so wrong?

"It's in your hair?" he repeated in disbelief. She could tell emotion was starting to bubble to the surface but quickly dissipated before anything was given away. "'Return it when you're done... please." The "please" was strained but not unpleasant. It meant something though. _Something serious_.

"Sure." she replied quickly, wishing the dressing was done with lightning speed so she could return the tie and remember never to touch Neji's stuff again.

An unemotional "thanks" was all he replied when she gave it back, but the event shook her world. They had shared so many things. After all, they were teammates. Life and death often hinged on sharing, whether it be food, water, weapons, or supplies.

The dinner went by without incident. The serene formality always made her nervous, but he swiftly intervened when necessary on Lee and her behalf to make sure everything went perfectly.

That night, Neji walked her home. By then, she was tired and ready for a quick shower and an early bedtime. As she said "good-bye," he paused longer than she would have expected. Automatically she looked up. The whites of his eyes shimmered back with that determined look which meant he had something to say and needed to say it.

"Would you like to come in?" she offered.

A nod was all she received. He followed her to the couch and silence filled the room. She wasn't sure whether to break it or not. Eventually she decided to make her way to her bedroom to change. At that moment, she heard him speak.

"Wait!" he insisted.

Confused, she paused and turned around.

"Hinata spoke with me earlier," he admitted, "and she was right."

A quirked eyebrow was all he received in return. Now he had her curious.

"I'm sorry about this morning." It took a moment to get over the shock. Rarely had Neji Hyūga ever apologized with a "sorry."

"Neji," she began, "you have nothing to be sorry about. I should have asked. I'm the one who is sorry."

"No," he cut in. "Let me explain. Tonight, we,... I mean,... I, was representing the Branch members of the Hyūga clan."

She nodded her agreement.

"It's not often one is invited to be a part of such a meeting," he continued.

She nodded again as she knew this was true.

"Uncle is really starting to show promise in change."

She nodded a third time but really didn't know what any of this had to do with this morning's hair tie incident.

"I needed to wear that hair tie," he stressed.

He knew by the look on her face, she still wasn't following.

"I mean, it was important to have a part of him there," he clarified.

That still did nothing to clear the muddled confusion she was still swimming in.

"The hair ties in that drawer belonged to my father," he finally stated.

In that moment, she froze, realization paralyzing her. She had touched something that was personal, sacred. He rarely spoke about his father except for that night long ago. Memories of him were deeply hidden within. She already regretted touching his things without asking but this admission twisted a knife in her gut.

"Oh my gosh Neji. I'm sooooo sorry!"

"It's okay. You didn't know."

She didn't know. That was true, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she had stolen something very precious from him.

"I know it's childish," he continued, "but I had saved those for just the right time. For when I knew I was worthy of showing him I had elevated the Branch Clan and he could be proud of me."

She was mortified. One careless act had shown the utmost disrespect to someone precious to her. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" was all she could say over and over again as she embraced him in a hug.

"I had been so protective of those hair ties over all these years, I forgot they were just hair ties. Hinata gently reminded me of that. The dinner wasn't about the them. It was about how far I had come, how far the Branch family had come, and no matter what I wore, father would have been proud of me all the same."

"Yes. He would have been very proud you. You know, everyone is proud of you Neji. You are one of the finest shinobi in Konoha," _and a best friend to forgive a girl for this_.

He said nothing but returned her hug.

* * *

She looked back to Hinata, "I couldn't," she said. "This should belong to you and Hanabi."

"I couldn't disagree with you more," Hanabi piped in.

"I know you weren't there," Hinata began, "but he came to talk to me after the Hyūga dinner with the Daimyo, where the Branch and Main Branch families attended together for the first time. It was the day you borrowed his father's hair tie."

She inwardly cringed. Even Hinata hadn't forgotten about that mistake.**  
**

"After the party, he made me promise that should anything ever happen to him, this would go to you."

"And this..." Hanabi added.

She produced a small navy box, wrapped in a simple gold ribbon. Elegant, neat script addressed the card. It could only be from Neji. The penmanship gave it away. "He made me promise to keep it safe until your birthday, but I think it's best to give it to you now."

_To: Tenten_

_From: Neji_

The card was simply addressed. He was never one to mince words. There was no message but it was likely the present would speak for itself.

Gifts were rare from Neji, and they always meant something deep. He had given Hinata one of his father's special hair ties after he convinced her to grow her hair long and presented it to her for her 16th birthday. It was a gift of love. She knew it was one of the two hair ties from his father and it meant more than words could say. All Tenten could do was smile and give Hinata and Neji a hug. The two had come farther than anyone could have hoped.

Carefully she unwrapped the ribbon and held her breath as she removed the box's top. Her breath escaped as she cradled the falcon hair ties in her other hand. The white clear diamond eyes and the intricate gold strands that curled and twisted to weave out the structure of its full body was a sight to behold. He always said she was like a falcon. In Japanese culture the falcon wasn't a popular animal like the dragon or the tiger so she was confused when he mentioned it one day. "Falcons have keen intellect and an uncanny ability to judge the movements of their prey," he explained. Known as a weapons mistress, she saw how he could make this association. "They can rise out of difficult situations and often symbolize hope in the pursuit of freedom from emotional or spiritual sadness." The last part of it almost brought tears to her eyes. It was a message, a private one at that. He didn't know it at the time but this gift he was leaving her was the last memento of their friendship on this Earth, the tie that she would cherish to her dying day.

"He searched forever for this," Hanabi added. "Especially for you, he couldn't rest until he finally found them. You were his precious person Tenten. I know he would want you to know that."

She nodded, speechless for the moment. The girls then helped her to her feet and the three reverently bowed before the Memorial Stone. Through the sadness, she could feel him now. She knew the cage of darkness and forlorn sadness would eventually dissipate and there was freedom from the sorrow. He was a part of her and would always be. Precious memories of him were sacredly tucked away inside for the time being as she held the gifts close to her heart. _Good-bye Neji. You are precious to me too._

_~End~_

* * *

Author's Note:

This story was written after returning from a friend's father's funeral. I suppose at the time, I was touched how memories of the dearly departed were like precious gifts for those left alive. I was reminded that gifts both physical and mental in many ways help to let a person's spirit live on. Life is so fragile and precious, it's important to live each day to the fullest. Neji's demise hit like a destructive storm without warning. Although she wasn't emotional about it during the throes of war, I would imagine she would at some point come to her face her own grief with what transpired so she could make peace with it.

A special thanks to Shadow Owner for the encouragement to actually post this first fanfiction story, and to Giada Luna for technical help with it. I'd also like to thank all the wonderful reviewers for their commentary. I hope the small changes in this revision helped to address things you brought up.

For new readers, please Press Review to critique. Your opinion means a lot.


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